S^S TRAVELS TO DISCOVER 



in the moil affable manner,prefents in hand, and magnificent 

 promifesof recompence hereafter. Great asthefe preparations 

 were, they had not made much impreffion among the con- 

 federates in Adel ; and ah-eady the king had put himfelf at 

 the head of his army, before the Moors feemed to think it 

 worth their while to follow him. They were, indeed, 

 at that very time, laying wafte a part of the kingdom of A- 

 byffmia. The king, then, by quick marches, advanced . 

 through Fatigar, as if he was going to Auffa, the capital of, 

 Adel. 



Between Fatigar and the plain country of Adel there is 

 a deep large valley, through which it was neceffary the 

 army ihould pafs. Very fteep mountains bound it on every 

 fide, whilft two openings (each of them very narrow) were 

 the only paffages by which it was poffible to enter or go > 

 out. The king divided his army into two ; he kept the 

 beft troops and largeft body with himfelf, and fent Betwu- 

 det with the reft, as if they intended to fight the enemy be- ■ 

 fore they gained the defiles. The Moors, on the other 

 hand, terrified at what muft happen if the king with his 

 army marched into their defencelefs country, accounted it 

 a great efcape to get into thefe very defiles before they were 

 forced to an engagement. Betwudet, who defired no more, 

 gave them their way, and, entering the valley behind them, 

 encamped there. The king, at the other end; had done the 

 fame, unfeen by the enemy, who thought he was advanced 

 on his march to Auffa. The Moors were thus completely 

 hemmed in, and the king's army vaftly fuperior. He had 

 ordered his tents to be left Handing, with a bed) of troops in 

 them, and thefe completely covered the. only outlet to the. 



J valley, 



